Anyone heard of the film Nomadland? I had NO idea this was part of America!

[nolabear]

Color me naive. The existence of huge numbers of older people living in RVs, traveling from place to place, working where they can and being actively recruited by Amazon was not on my radar at all. The film sounds amazing, and I might just order the book. Wow.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/film/2020/sep/11/nomadland-review-frances-mcdormand-chloe-zhao

[ret5hd]

1. Without Bound-Perspectives On Mobile Living

An excellent documentary on the subject, will “wet your whistle” on the subject AND give you a non-dramatized look at the lifestyle:

[randr]

3. I have met people who live this style

They sell all properties or rent/lease them out, outfit the most affordable travel home, and spend their time wherever their hearts desire. National parks and private campgrounds are everywhere. I have even come across people who work from "the road".
Intriguing to say the least.

[ret5hd]

5. National Parks and private campgrounds...

are way too expensive for most that do this. National Forests and BLM land are all free... camp for $0.00 for up to 14 days at most spots, then move 25 miles and camp 14 days at the next. Stop at the grocery store on your move, stock up. Find a place by a stream or river and filter/purify your water.

[eleny]

6. But they can sign up to work as campground caretakers

They live at the campground, see that the rules are kept, clean up, collect payments made at the campground. Federal campgrounds hire them. We know a retired couple who do this. They travel to different locations based on the weather and location availability.

[BusyBeingBest]

2. Lots of full-timers out there. I have considered it

for when my husband retires, but he is reluctant to give up a home for more than 6 months or so (can't live without his home gym equipment or basement music studio).

[Buckeyeblue]

4. If it were 100% up to me, this is how I would be living.

I hate being tied to a place. Someday.

[cyclonefence]

7. There are several cable TV shows about RVs

some of them about people who have sold everything and plan to live full-time on the road. I had always assumed they were either retired or wealthy, but now I'm suspecting that at least some of them are doing what you describe. This brings a whole 'nother dimension to these shows. Thanks for posting.

[nolabear]

10. Yes there's a big difference between doing it from choice and necessity.

Anybody who, at 77, walks thirteen miles a day in a warehouse that dispenses free pain meds doesn’t strike me as living the good life on the road.

[Alacritous Crier]

8. It's based on a book...

I read it a few years ago. Highly recommended.


https://www.amazon.com/Nomadland-Surviving-America-Twenty-First-Century-ebook/dp/B06XH3D8VG/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=nomadland&qid=1599934842&sr=8-3

[nolabear]

9. I just ordered it. I'm going to use it as a resource for a book I'm working on.

Fiction, mind you, but it does have to do with making a cross country trip, and having many adventures.

[Alacritous Crier]

16. 👍🏼

[nolabear]

11. I wonder how many read the article. This isn't leisure living.

It’s scrounging, migrant, eking by for the most part.

[Trailrider1951]

12. There is at least one RV club that is devoted to supporting people who live

in their RVs full-time. www.escapees.com

They have parks all over the country that welcome members from elsewhere, and charge low rates for a site with electric and water, and nothing for just a parking site with no amenities. They have a headquarters near Livingston, TX, and have a mail forwarding service for members on the road. They also have a program for people who are aged and need to come off the road for medical reasons. I used to belong when I lived in my motorhome. My permanent address ("domicile&quot was in TX and I worked in CO, UT, and WY. After 3 or so years of that, I came off the road and bought another house. It was interesting for awhile, but I got tired of the gypsy life.

[Blue_true]

13. I was stunned to hear about that situation also. nt

[peggysue2]

14. The couple we bought our last dog from are on the road now

They delivered their last pup, sold their home in NC and took off. Not sure how long the adventure will last because the wife had Lupus and her husband had a variety of medical issues. But they packed it in and hit the road, something they'd promised themselves they wanted to try while they still could.

To each his/her own. The idea has a certain appeal if you have enough funds and wish to see the country up close and personal. On the other side, if you're scrambling around for part-time work to feed yourself and gas up the RV, the lifestyle would become quickly tedious and difficult. Even dangerous if you become ill or injured.

That being said, my oldest son would love to do this, travel and hike the country endlessly. He's in the process of a divorce at the moment. So, he might get his wish.

[yankee87]

15. Heard of it

I had a guy I worked with, retired Air Force, then when my plant shut down, he sold everything, had a party at his RV, we watched the Long, long Trailer with Lucy Ball, and he was going to Alaska in the summer, driving south as the weather got cold. Since he was retired Air Force, got to stay free in campgrounds and was planning to do maintenance, and odd jobs for extra money.